WASHINGTON — Dia de los Muertos, known as Day of the Dead , begins this weekend.

The holiday, rooted mainly in Mexican culture, honors ancestors and recently deceased loved ones with celebrations, altars and lots of marigolds. During the holiday, it is believed that people can commune with their deceased loved ones.

Skeletons are central to the celebrations, symbolizing a return of the bones to the living world. Like seeds planted in soil, the dead disappear temporarily, only to return each year like the annual harvest.

Dia De Los Muertos: Here's what to know

Dia de los Muertos dates back to the Aztec people in what is now Central Mexico, according to History.com.

The Aztecs would use skulls to honor the dead for centuries.

When the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire, they moved t

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